Improvement in looms for weaving rattan



UNITED STATESv Pirrieiwrv OFFICEs f SAMUEL L; FITTS, -OF ASHBURNHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T GEORGE C. WINGHESTER, OF SAMEVPLAGE. y

IMPROVEMENT IN LOOMS FOR WEAVING RATTAN.

YSpecification forming part of LettersPatent No. 106,477, dated August 16, 1870,

for chair-seats, Sto., the web being composed of a warp and filling, each made of rattan.

My invention consists, first, in the employment of a iilling-spool at the end of the shuttlc-race or race-beam, and in combining therewith a sliding nipper-rod and nippers, the jaws of the nippers being automatically closed to grasp the end of the rattan, and automatically opened to release the rattan, (when drawn through the shed; also, in combining therewith automatically-worked shears, which sever the lling-piece from the main strip at' each beat-up of the lay.

The invention also consists in the employment of a series of warp-containing spools, each having its respective strip of rattan, and the several strips passing between frictionrolls and through heddle-eyes (in the harnessframes) and the dents of the lay, to the clothbeam 5 also, in combining, with the warpf spools, a spring-roll for keeping the rattan in place upon the spools and insuring its even delivery.

The drawings represent a loom embodying my improvements.

A shows the loom in plan. B is a sectional elevation of it; C, an end elevation.

a denotes the frame; I), the wiper-.shaft that operates the harnesses c that form the shed. d is the crank-shaft that reciprocates the lay e. f is the warp-roll shaft; g, the cloth-roll; li, the race-beam, over which is a nipper-rod, i, sliding in bearings k, and having a pair of nipperjaws, Z, at its inner end, the rod being reciprocated by a picker-staff, m, actuated by pedals, which are worked by wipers on the wipershaft. At one end of the race-beam is a-spool, n, which carries the lling o, wound in a coil upon it, the end of the filling passing undera spring, p, which holds it in position. to be seized by the nipper-jaws l. The .jaws are made as springs, or provided with a spring, holding or tending to hold them together, and they are forced apart by a spreader, q, the nippers operating as follows: As the lay beats back and the shed is formed, the nippers are driven forward,`(the jaws being open,) and as they reach a stop, r, upon which the springp is fastened, they embrace the end of the fillingstrip presented yor held in position by' the spring, and a projection, s, on oneside of the spreader strikes the stop o", and is thrown back,

(or allows the nippers to continue forward,)

so that the nipper-jaws close upon or grasp the rattan. As the lay beats up, the nipperrod retreats and the lling is carried through the shed. Aso the lay approaches the clothbeam, the rattan passes between two blades of a pair of shears, the movable blade trof which has an arm, a, extending down below the pivot o, and this arm being struck by the said beam the shear-blades are closed upon and sever the rattan, the severed pieces constituting the piece of filling introduced into the warp by the nip- Ypers. (As thelay beats back, a suitable spring,

w, opens the shear-blades.) When the nippers have already nished their back movement, another projection, ai, from -the spreader strikes the nearest bearing 7c, and forces the nipper-jaws apart, releasing the strip of filling and leaving the jaws open, ready for their neXt advance movement to again seize the end of the filling. The lay beats the strip iup against the strip previously introduced through the warp, and the race-beam strikes a pawl-lever, y, and throws forward its pawl z, causing it to rotatively move a ratchet-wheel, a2, on the end of the cloth-roll, and thus take up the web,

the ratchet-lever being thrown back by a spring, b2, when the lay Ybeats, back.

. Under the cloth-roll is a friction-roll, c2, journaled in bearings @supported upon springs e2, the springs pressing the web against the cloth-roll, (keeping it tight and -compact,) and permitting the friction-roll to descend as the webincreases in diameter.

The warp-roll shaft f contains a series o spools, f2, corresponding in number to the number of warp-strips of rattan required for the web. Each spool is -iilled with a coil or ribbon of rattan and as the coils proj ect b eyond the peripheries of the spool an elastic or'elastic-surfaced roll, g2, is employed to press upon the coils, the shaft f being mounted in a frame, h2, that moves vertically upon the shaft 'i2 of the elastic roll, (which shaft is stationary,)

and upon a rod, 7a2, projecting up from a crossbeam, Z2, the frame being drawn down by a` spring, m2. The shaft f has a head at one end, and a screw-thread on its other end, on which is a thumb-nut, f3, the latter serving to tighten up (more or less) the spools against each other, leather or other Washers being preferably placed between the end spools and the inside of the frame h2. This provision, in connection Withthe yielding property of the frame, allows Y of an adjustment of the tension of the Warp at will, but yet permits each spool to be turned or revolved more or less than the others, as any varying thickness of one strip over that of another may require While Weavin g. The Warpstrips pass from the spools between the roll g2 and a top roll, n?, thence through the heddleeyes of the harness-frames, and thence through the reed-dents p2 to the cloth-roll.

By a loornthus organized strips of rattan,

properly fpreparcd, can be automatically Woven into plain or twilled patterns with 2. InY combination with the vibrating lay, i

and moving with it, a filling-spool for holding the rattan lilling, substantially'as shown and described.

3.l The combination, with the filling-spool lmounted on the lay, of the spring p upon the vibrating lay, for presenting the end of the filling to be grasped by the nipper-jaws.

4. The combination, with the flllinglspool mounted on the lay, of the nippers and sliding spreader. g, substantially as described.

Executed June 22, 1870.

SAMUEL L. FI'ITS.

Vitnesses:

JEROME W. FosTEn, GEO. H. EDDY. 

